Wolfenstein: The New Order

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Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014)

Wolfenstein: The New Order is a first-person shooter developed by Machine Games and Bethesda Software, released in 2014 for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Windows 64-bit. It is a direct sequel to Wolfenstein, and ties in to Return to Castle Wolfenstein as well. It uses Id Software's id Tech 5 engine as used in Rage, in particular making use of the trademark "megatextures" where an entire level is rendered as a single massive texture.

The story begins in an alternate 1946; the genius Nazi scientist General Deathshead has managed to prolong the war, creating giant mechanical monstrosities and beefed up pseudo-fictional weaponry. After the failure of a desperate final assault on Deathshead's fortress by the remains of the Allied forces, BJ Blazkowicz is put into a coma by shrapnel. When he wakes up again, much to his horror, the year is 1960 and the Third Reich has the world in their hands. With the help of a Polish nurse called Anya, Blazkowicz attempts to find any trace of resistance within the world to fight the Nazis, while also fighting his steadily weakening sanity...

Overview

Wolfenstein: The New Order embraces many "old school" shooter concepts; it is singleplayer only, and the game features an unlimited inventory where the player character BJ Blazkowicz can carry every normal weapon in the game at once, and temporarily carry one mounted weapon. He can also carry a set number of grenades.

Almost every weapon in the game has an upgrade hidden somewhere in the campaign, some of which, like the laser mod for the AR Marksman, cannot be avoided, while others like pistol suppressors are more hidden. The standout weapon, the "Laserkraftwerk," a lumpy laser cannon, features seven different mods, though the last of these is strangely hidden, has no description and does almost nothing.

The game features a skill system with four skill trees; these are for the most part progressive unlocks which can be earned by gaining the skill immediately before them in the list and then fulfilling the displayed conditions. One ability available from the beginning is dual-wielding almost every weapon in the game, up to assault rifles and giant belt-fed shotguns. Unusually, it is possible to have different fire modes or ammo types selected on the left and right guns.

Handguns

Luger P08

The Luger P08, called "Handgun 1946", appears in 1946 as a standard weapon of the Nazi powers. It can be dual-wielded and suppressed. BJ can also use it in 1960 in his nightmare, and a gold-plated version is the weapon of Frau Engel, one of the antagonists of the game. The in-game version incorrectly holds 10 cartridges in the magazine, contrary to the real Luger, which has 8. It's often found in the hands of resistance members.

Luger P08 - 9x19mm

BJ wields the Luger as he moves throughout Deathshead's castle.

BJ attaches a suppressor to his Luger as he approaches an unsuspecting soldier.

After dispatching the soldier, BJ reloads his suppressed Luger.

BJ uses his Luger to take on the low-resolution forces of games past in the Wolfenstein 3D easter egg level "Nightmare."

During a test to see if he is a "true Aryan" administered by villain Frau Engel, BJ has to select between a series of photographs. He also can take Engel's gold-plated Luger, but this just results in him being unceremoniously obliterated by the guard robot which somehow got into the carriage.

Handgun 1960

A retro-futuristic Luger with a bulked-up barrel appears as the main sidearm of the Nazis during the 1960s; seemingly just so it looks suitably "Nazi" it retains the Luger's rather unreliable toggle-lock rather than switching to slide operation. It fires in a three-round burst like a Beretta 93R and can also be dual-wielded and suppressed. When suppressed the gun becomes single fire and a special, permanently suppressed white version of the pistol can be found on the Lunar Base. Both versions hold 20 rounds, increasing to 23 with extended magazines.

Interestingly, prototypes of a fully-automatic Luger P08 variant were actually produced near the end of WWI in 1918; this did not agree with the toggle lock mechanism in the slightest and led to an excessively high rate of fire and frequent failures, and the project was scrapped. The Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer would prove a more successful attempt at the concept.

Luger P08 - 9x19mm

The 1960 version of the pistol. Note the compact hexagonal suppressor and not-nearly-extended-enough magazine.

As a cannibalistic BJ comes out of his coma, he acquires a new Luger.

BJ makes his way through the asylum as he notices the Nazis' new interior decorating.

Trying his best to maintain stealth, BJ attaches a suppressor to his futuristic Luger.

BJ wields a white painted Luger while in the Lunar Base.

Shotguns

Oddly enough for a series that defined the FPS, The New Order is the first main Wolfenstein game to feature shotguns; the only previous entry to do so was one of the console versions of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. This is in keeping with the German dislike of shotguns following their experiences with the American soldiers using the Winchester Model 1897 Trench Gun in WW1: they actually tried to have the shotgun banned as a weapon of war, and the only shotgun ever issued by Nazi Germany was the extremely rare M30 Luftwaffe Drilling, which was designed for hunting rather than combat.

Double barreled shotgun

William can use a Double Barreled Shotgun that is first found within the Asylum, then later within the sewers of Berlin. It holds 2 cartridges, firing one barrel at a time, and can be dual-wielded. It is effectively rendered obsolete as soon as the automatic shotgun is found, and more or less stops appearing at that point in the game. It has no mods.

1960s Era Commercial Stevens hammerless side by side shotgun - 12 gauge

In a stereotypical manner, BJ decides the best time to use a double barrel is in an asylum. Note the strange lever reminiscent of a bolt-action rifle on the side of the weapon. It is never explained what it's for, as Blazkowicz never operates it. It's not the lever for unlocking the barrels, as that's in its standard place on the weapon.

BJ reloads his double barrel so he may continue the Nazis' interior decorating.

Curiously enough, Anya's grandparents use a more traditionally modeled shotgun rather effectively against German patrols when they smuggle Blazko and Anya into Germany.

"Automatic Shotgun"

A fictional fully-automatic, belt-fed shotgun that appears to have the receiver cover of an MG42 and the trigger group and pistol grip of the Sturmgewehr 44. First found in the Prison and can be dual-wielded, holding 20 shells apiece. Starting from the U-Boat level BJ receives "shrapnel rounds" in addition to the normal buckshot; these are a strange fictional round that coughs out glowing marble-sized projectiles which bounce off surfaces and do substantially more damage than one would reasonably expect them to. This upgrade also adds a selector and a second belt box to the weapon model.

A side view of the shotgun.

BJ wields his shotgun as he looks over his fallen combatants.

BJ reloads his shotgun. Note the extra magazine already on the shotgun, presumably containing the shrapnel shells.

Dual-wielding shotguns. Note the shotgun's resemblance to a fatter MG42. And that armor is apparently useless before it. Not that anyone's complaining...

Submachine Guns

Thompson M1928A1

Blazkowicz and his fellow troops use a variant of the Thomson M1928A1 simply called the "SMG" with a variety of extra bits and pieces stuck to it during the 1946 tutorial level. Some versions seen in the hands of Allied troops have custom vertical foregrips; Blazkowicz's version never has this. It actually appears to eject small rifle casings. It is weak to the point of being practically useless, and has no equivalent in the 1960s levels; it does not itself appear in those levels either, and it has no upgrades.

Thomson M1928A1 - .45 ACP

BJ wields his Thompson as he regrets making Fergus the team's motivational speaker.

BJ holds his vaguely updated Thompson as he ponders precisely what moving a unit back and forth between Scotland and Northern Ireland is going to achieve. The name in the lower right appears to be "Operation Algal Blooms," which is at least an appropriately dismal codename for the invasion of Scotland.

BJ reloads his Thompson after interrupting an officer's dinner.

After a series of unlikely events puts BJ on a second transport plane, he meets a young private named Probst Wyatt III, who is later part of an important story decision. BJ seems more interested in the fact that another soldier has managed to get a foregrip for his Thompson, however. Also of note here are the wider magazines, which resemble those of Auto-Ordinance's .30 Carbine Thompson prototype.

Assault Rifles

StG-44

A retro-futuristic (and more robust) StG-44 called "Assault Rifle 1946" (and thus presumably being the StG-46) is used by the Nazis during the 1946 chapter. It holds 30 rounds and can be dual-wielded. It also appears in 1960 in the Wolfenstein 3D nightmare, replacing the original "Machine gun" from the Wolfenstein 3D (which was an MP40). There is only one magazine model in the game which has visible rounds in it, which is used for dropped mags even if they are actually empty.

Both assault rifle variants feature a folding front grip mounted under the barrel, but this is only ever shown unfolded when NPCs are using them. This was apparently in keeping with its intention to give the weapon a more sinister, MP40-like profile.

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm Kurz

BJ wields his StG as he wonders if the Batman-styled cowl impairs the Nazis' vision.

BJ reloads his StG. Note the folded foregrip.

BJ holds his "StG-46" in the Wolfenstein 3D "nightmare" in 1960. This easter egg is the entire first level of Wolfenstein 3D, though sadly there is no bonus for using the secret exit. Note that among all the junk added to it is what appears to be a second rear sight. The bulges on the sides are apparently supposed to be "bullet acceleration tanks," whatever those are.

Assault Rifle 1960

A strange hybrid of the STG-44 and Heckler & Koch G3 is the main weapon of the Nazis during the 1960's. It holds 45 rounds in a triple-column magazine and can be dual-wielded. Like the StG-46, the StG-60 has a folding foregrip mounted under the barrel which is sometimes seen unfolded when enemies use it but is never used by BJ; some enemies also appear to use a burst mode which BJ cannot, the StG-60 being fullauto-only for him. Blazkowicz will sometimes fiddle with the weapon in idle animations, either checking the magazine, checking the gun is loaded, or adjusting the drum diopter rear sight.

During the Gibraltar Bridge level, BJ comes across the upgrade, a bulky drum-fed semi-automatic micro rocket launcher which lacks any obvious trigger mechanism or means of advancing its drum; the drum is held in place by side clamps and the whole thing is swapped out to reload. For some reason, mounting it also adds a strange guard to the right-hand side of the handguard which is only particularly visible on the left-hand gun when dual wielding it after this point. BJ picks up one, which gives him two, since dual-wielding shows one on each gun. The rocket launcher is one of the few weapons effective against armoured enemies and robots, and is used by Nazi rocket troopers.

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm Kurz

Heckler & Koch G3A3 with Navy trigger-group - 7.62x51mm NATO

Put it all together and presto! The rocket launcher still makes no sense. Note the straight triple-column magazine.

BJ looks out at the Gibraltar Bridge with his assault rifle.

BJ reloads his "StG-60". Note that the rocket launcher shows two rounds have been fired.

Battle rifles

"AR Marksman"

A semi-auto marksman version of the Assault Rifle 1960 appears as weapon of the Nazi forces in 1960; it features a different, even more bulky and boxy upper receiver and has some features of the Walther WA 2000. It mounts a scope, and is the closest the game comes to a sniper rifle. It has a noticeably larger magazine than the StG-60 and due to the weapons high stopping power, it is very likely using 7.92x57mm Mauser rounds. No soldier ever uses one until the Lunar Base, however; before that they are simply strewn around the levels for BJ to use, including some odd occasions where the player can find ammo for it in obvious spots of levels that never actually give them the weapon. It also can be dual-wielded, but due to its nature is rather unwieldy; the low ammunition cap also means it is a very wasteful use of the weapon.

When the Lunar Base is reached it acquires an upgrade; flipping the scope aside retracts the barrel and somehow turns it from a marksman rifle into a fully-automatic laser, with the underside of the scope base acting as a charge indicator; like the Laserkraftwerk cannon and MG60, it gets ammunition from charging stations found around the game world, or by picking up batteries or the AR Marksman rifles found in the Lunar Base. Following this level, it can toggle between this mode and rifle mode at will. The science behind this is probably the same Nazi space magic that allows a brain to be preserved for 14 years using only a jamjar.

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm Kurz

Walther WA 2000 - .300 Win Mag

Concept art of the AR Marksman. Note that the stock, like with the StG-60, rather impractically includes a spare magazine in the diagonal lower section and the magazine is smaller than it is in-game, being that of a StG-60's.

Midway through his subtle plan to infiltrate the London Nautica installation by murdering everyone in it, BJ holds an "AR Marksman."

BJ looks in disgust at a Space Trooper who refuses to use his foregrip.

A Nazi space marine reacts in surprise as BJ uses the laser mode of the AR Marksman to enact his cunning wall-shooting plan. Note the scope flips up off a RIS rail, despite the base having no means of actually interfacing with it.

Machine Guns

Machine Gun 1946

A bizarre weapon called "Machine Gun 1946" resembling a bulkier MG42 with a minigun assembly made of four barrels with MG42 barrel shrouds and conical flash suppressors. It appears in 1946, and can be picked up during a fight with several old-model Ubersoldats in a forgotten storage area found in 1960. It can be removed from its stand and carried around, but it has a small capacity and cannot be reloaded.

MG42 with sling and bipod collapsed - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Concept art of the "MG46" from the French edition of the artbook.

BJ comes across an MG46 mounted to a rail while storming Deathshead's compound.

BJ uses a mounted MG46 to great effect.

Deciding that one MG42 is not enough, BJ wields the multi-barreled MG46.

BJ holds the MG46 as he assaults Deathshead's fortress. Note that the rotary barrel rig apparently does not prevent the gun generating enough heat from a short burst to turn the barrels orange-hot, presumably meaning it expends more of the energy from the propellant in heating the barrel group than firing the bullets.

Machine Gun 1960

The MG46 minigun is then replaced by an equally MG42-like weapon in 1960. This version only has a single barrel, but fires red lasers that offers more damage than the MG46; it can also destroy metal gratings and wire fences to open new areas or expose enemies in cover, and is highly effective against armour. Like the Lasekraftwerk and AR Marksman's laser mode, it is powered by a battery; this can be recharged by placing the MG60 back in its mounting or by using charging stations found in the game world.

Side view of the "MG60," which appears to have been designed by the Strogg.

While in the London Nautica, BJ comes across an MG60 mounted on a not nearly big enough tripod.

BJ mounts an MG60 while attacking the London Nautica.

BJ brandishes an MG60 as he makes his way through the Nazi moonbase (really). In first person it looks like an MG42 with most of a jetski haphazardly attached to it; the battery is the drum to the right, which rotates and glows to show the weapon's charge (going dim and spinning more slowly as the charge is depleted) and opens to charge.

BJ recharges his MG60.

Other

Eihandgranate 39

A Model 39 Eihandgranate is used by Wilhelm Strasse in a rather spoiler-tastic part at the end of the game.

Einhandgranate Model 39

Stielhandgranate 24

The Model 24 Stielhandgranate is the standard issue hand grenade of the Nazi's in 1946. An updated version appears in 1960 as the "Telsa Grenade" that has the ability to temporarily short-circuit various mechanical enemies.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate

BJ prepares for a very serious game of fetch with a Kampfhund.

Model 24 with fragmentation sleeve-the Telsa Grenade has a different shaped head, but has a texture roughly similar to this.

BJ finds it wise to throw a grenade while in a submarine.

Browning M2 Aircraft

During the introductory level, the transport plane squadron is escorted by a flight of Rolls-Royce Mustang Mk. X fighters, a British experimental variant of the P-51 Mustang of which only five prototypes were built. None ever carried any armament. In the game they are equipped with four guns on their wings; since they are in US service, the smaller ones are presumably the Browning M2 Aircraft. M2-like guns are also mounted in the ridiculous 12-gun turrets of the transport planes; each one has two such turrets on the nose and two on the tail.

Browning M2 Aircraft, Fixed - .50 BMG

A Rolls-Royce Mustang escorts the startlingly hideous transport planes during the game's intro.

Under attack from Nazi Horton-IX flying wing fighters, BJ acts quickly and takes control of the giant heap of guns someone thoughtfully threw on the front of his plane. Oddly, even though the B-29 had remote-operated turrets, this nameless monstrosity has reverted back to manned ones.

Later, under assault from some combination of flying wings and the laws of aerodynamics, another of the giant transports goes down, showing off its dual nose turrets. These appear to be based on the quad M2 Browning tail turret mounted on the B-52 until the G version, minus the bulged fire control radar on the front. Despite each plane carrying gun armament equivalent to almost four B-17Gs, they are not at all good at defending themselves.

Hispano-Suiza HS.404

The larger guns on the Rolls-Royce Mustang Mk. X fighters appear to be some variant of the Hispano-Suiza HS.404.

Hispano-Suiza HS.404 with ammo drum - 20×110mm

One of the escorting planes decides to say hello to BJ, the Hispano-Suiza HS.404 visible on the right wing towards the bottom of the image.

8.8cm FlaK 36

During the assault on Deathshead's fortress, a number of very shiny FlaK 36s can be seen; it is possible for BJ to take control of two of them, one of which can be used to destroy the giant "Stomper" vehicle attacking the trenches, though there is no actual point to doing this. Two more can be found during the first phase of the final confrontation on the roof of Deathshead's fortress. As in more or less every game that features WW2 heavy weapons, BJ can operate the FlaK 36, which would normally require a crew of at least eight, by himself.

German FlaK 36 (note two-piece barrel with locking collar) - 88x571mm R

BJ looks up at a FlaK 36, wondering when the Nazis had time to polish it. Note that the cruciform base incorrectly has four identical legs; two of them should not have pivots. Note also that the breech is much too high up; it is not even in line with the barrel.

Looking over another FlaK as the Stomper continues its reign of ineffectual terror down on the beach, BJ is puzzled by the made-up antiaircraft iron sight mounted on the side. The real FlaK 38 used a ZF20 or 20E telescopic sight for direct fire and Rundblickfernrohr 32 panoramic telescopic sight for target finding. The Rbl. F. 32 is completely missing; it should be mounted on the recuperator cylinder on top of the gun.